When certain sensing systems in a servo positioning system do not provide appropriate signals, then a servo positioning system can operate out of control resulting in undesired speed of operation and movement to an emergency stop. In optical disk recorders, such loss of sensing control includes a loss of focus which removes track position information enabling a head carriage or coarse actuator to actuate an undesired motion at high speeds resulting in hitting an emergency mechanical stop in the drive. Even with some focus controls operating satisfactorily a servo positioning control circuit may not stop at a target track, i.e., the velocity or speed of the carriage is greater than zero at the end of a seek operation. Also, when a velocity of the head carriage exceeds a predetermined threshold an uncontrolled or undesired motion is indicated. When any of the three above-described conditions occur, it is desired to control or limit the operation of the head carriage for preventing damage to the optical drive.